Can I Protect You?
by UnitedPen
Summary: Carlos has this habit of getting injured. Kendall always tries to save him. Kenlos minific.
1. Chapter 1

"Ow!" Carlos cried out, landing hard on the sidewalk, his skateboard settling a few feet away. He had attempted to do a high jump off his homemade ramp but he definitely hadn't built the thing properly as it had crumpled when he was halfway up. Maybe cardboard boxes weren't the best material for a ramp.

Sniffling, Carlos rolled on to his back and slowly started to examine himself. There were a few cuts on his arms but they seemed to be moving properly. Thinking he might be ok to stand, Carlos pushed himself up, only to fall right back down, tears filling his eyes. His ankle was definitely broken.

Sitting up gingerly while trying to not move his leg, Carlos pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, so thankful that it hadn't broken during his fall. Pressing 1, he waited for his boyfriend to answer. No one else was in the park this early in the morning although Carlos would have called Kendall first anyways.

"Hey Carlos! How is skateboarding?"

"Not good," Carlos said, trying not to cry at the pain. "Can you come get me? I'm at the Palmwoods Park and I think I broke my ankle. I'm so stupid!"

"O baby," Kendall sighed, sounding out of breath as he was running as fast as he could from the apartment. "You aren't stupid at all. You just love having fun and can be a little reckless. But I'll be right there!"

Instead of answering, Carlos let out a pained sound, making Kendall hurry even more, if that was possible. As soon as he spotted Carlos on the ground, he rushed over to crouch beside him and gave him a quick kiss while wiping away his tears.

"Can I lift you so we can get to my car?"

Carlos nodded, putting his arms around Kendall's neck. Kendall took off and before Carlos knew it, he was back at the apartment, a plaster cast on his leg, as he rested on the orange couch. Kendall was signing his name with a heart while Carlos whined.

"Gustavo is going to kill me!"

"I'll talk to him," Kendall smiled, moving so he could sit beside Carlos and take him in his arms. After a couple minutes of kissing, Carlos pulled away, sighing contently as he rested his head on Kendall's chest.

"Thanks for coming for me."

Kendall squeezed Carlos' hand. "I'll always be there, no matter how many stunts you pull. Now let's watch a movie to cheer you up."

"You already made me feel better," Carlos said, his eyes slipping closed as Kendall rubbed small circles in his back. Within minutes he was asleep, exhausted from the pain medication. Kendall pecked his forehead and shook his head. His boyfriend may do some silly and stupid things, but Kendall loved him no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

Kendall knew he would always be there for Carlos but he had a serious talk with him about his stunts, not wanting Carlos to get hurt anymore. He hated seeing Carlos in pain. He hated seeing his beautiful boyfriend with tears in his eyes. Surprisingly, Carlos had listened intently and had toned down his reckless stunts. There hadn't been any broken bones in a while and right now, the two were taking a nice walk to Carlos' favourite ice cream shop. It was such a perfect day and Kendall knew it would be the day he would tell Carlos he loved him.

"Ooo Kendall, look there's a corndog stand!" Carlos was jumping up and down, pointing across the street. "Can we go?"

"But we are already getting ice cream!" Kendall laughed.

"I'll still be hungry after. Please!"

Kendall smiled at the puppy dog eyes being directed at him. "Ok, but we are going to cross at the cross walk ok?"

Carlos nodded and hurried to the intersection just as the walk sign came on. "I'll race you there!"

Kendall made to take off after Carlos but noticed his shoelace had come loose. He bent down, figuring he could catch up with his boyfriend later when he heard a loud screech. Glancing up, his heart suddenly dropped.

"Carlos!"

His beautiful lover was lying unconscious on the ground, bent unnaturally, while blood pooled around him. Kendall tried to move but was frozen in utter shock until he saw the black SUV who had done the damage zooming away. His sudden anger snapped him back to reality and he raced toward Carlos, shouting at the other people on the sidewalk to call an ambulance.

"Carlos," Kendall touched him gently, not wanting to cause any more damage, but Carlos' eyes stayed close. "Carlos, please!" He felt for a pulse and noticed it was dangerously slow. "Please hold on."

Kendall slipped out of his hoodie and held it to Carlos' biggest wound on his stomach, tears slipping down his face and mixing with the blood as the minutes passed before the ambulance showed up. The hoodie was soaked and Kendall was shaking as they quickly loaded Carlos into the vehicle. Kendall rode along, gripping Carlos' hand the whole way.

* * *

"He's in a coma." The doctor said. "We're not sure if or when he will wake up." He went on to explain the other injuries but Kendall couldn't hear him over the pounding in his ears. He vaguely felt Katie curled up beside him, trying to give him some comfort and him mom rubbing his back but everything else felt so far away.

"Can I see him?" Kendall asked, stopping Logan and James from asking questions. The doctor nodded and led Kendall down the hall while everyone stayed behind, thinking it was best for Kendall to do this alone.

They stopped just outside Carlos' room but before Kendall could rush in, the doctor stopped him.

"Please don't give up hope, Mr. Knight. You never know what can happen."

He patted Kendall on the shoulder and Kendall hoped he could be as optimistic. He turned and walked toward Carlos' bed, choking back sobs as he saw the boy he had fallen for, lying still, with tubes connected, looking as pale as the sheets below him. Slipping into a chair, Kendall grasped his best friends hand, not able to hold the tears back any longer.

"I love you, Carlos. I'm sorry I didn't say it before. Just…just please wake up."


	3. Chapter 3

_"Carlos no!" _

Kendall shot up in bed. He'd been having nightmares about the accident every time he fell asleep and as the days went by that Carlos was stuck in a coma, the dreams became progressively worse. This one had left him shaking because in this one Carlos had died right when the car had struck him.

"Kendall?"

Logan was in the doorway. He had dark bags under his eyes. None of the Big Time Rush family had been sleeping well but Kendall was faring worst of all.

"I…I heard you screaming. Are you ok?"

Kendall nodded, not trusting himself to speak because he knew he'd start crying.

"Ok," Logan said, not believing his best friend at all. "Mama Knight wants to see you in the kitchen."

endall pushed the covers away and dragged his body toward the door, ignoring Logan's worried look. He was met with his mother sitting at the table. She pushed a plate of toast toward her son as he sat down but he didn't take any. Kendall hadn't been able to really eat much lately especially when every time he tried, he thought about how Carlos would devour the food in a few seconds.

"Kendall we need to talk about Carlos. Now it's been a month since the accident and he's showing no signs of waking up. I know," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know Gustavo doesn't mind paying for the room but it's the doctors. They want to take him off life support soon."

"What? NO!" Kendall screamed. "I love him! Please don't do this!"

Mrs. Knight sighed sadly. "It's not up to me, it's up to Carlos' parents. We all thought we should prepare you for this before it happens in a couple of days."

"This can't be happening," Kendall said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I promised him I'd always be there!"

He ran out the door, ignoring his mother's calls.

Within minutes, Kendall had parked his car and raced into the hospital. He reached Carlos' room in record time. Thankful that his parents hadn't arrived yet, he sat down and grasped his boyfriend's hand, staring at the beautiful face through his tears. The bruises were fading and the other injuries were healing. He looked like he was sleeping.

Kendall lay his head down near Carlos' legs, mumbling and crying.

"They want to take you off life support. I can't…I can't bear the thought. We haven't had enough time together. I love you! Just wake up!"

Carlos didn't move in the two hours Kendall watched him. A nurse eventually came by and gave him a message from his mom that he could stay as long as he liked. After that break, he went to talking. He told Carlos how grateful he was to have Carlos as a boyfriend, that he wanted no one else; that he would never forget the times they had together.

Kendall's eyes were getting heavy so he decided he'd take a quick power nap. Settling down into the chair, his eyelids were slowly closing when he heard a slight gasp.

Shaking his head, Kendall's eyes grew as he caught beautiful brown ones staring back at him.

"Hi," Carlos said in a very raspy voice.

"Hey," Kendall said back. In a second the two boys were hugging and crying, not stopping until Carlos pulled away, weakly taking Kendall's face in his hands.

"I love you too."


End file.
